Hand-picking table



A. R. STEPHEN.

HAND PICKING TABLE. APPLICATIION men APR. 4. 1921.

Patented May 2, 1922.

m M W.

Arvhib $4. R Stephen I UNITED STATES YARCI-IIBALD R. STEPHEN, or LODI, canironnm HAND-PICKING TABLE.

Specification of Letters Eatent. Patented May 2, 192,2.

Application filed A ril 4, 1e21. Serial Nol 458,399.

' full, clear. and exact description of the same,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part-of this application. I i V This invention relates to improvements in picking tables such as are used in sorting or picking over nuts, beansand other produce by hand after whatever mechanical or automatic equipment has'been used as far as possible. r

The principalobject of my inventionis to provide a structure by means of which the pickermay use both hands in picking or sorting the produce, thereby enabling-such person to accomplish more in a given time than if one hand had to be otherwise occupied. I

A second object is to provide means for allowing the produce to pass continuously past the picker, at a speed and volume which may be independently regulated by the operator so that he may do the necessary Work in a thorough manner and according to his capacity.

A further object is to provide a unit de vice, made portable if desiredand independent of any other equipment, which will have a common produce bin or source of supply, a plurality of tables each adapted to accommodate a single worker, and a common power means for operating the tables, each of the latter however having individual speed and supplycontrol means."

A further object of the'invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish bymeans of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved structure, partly broken away as to its length and height.

Fig. 2is an enlarged end view, partbeing in section.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentaryfront view of a delivery chute, showing the control means. c Fig. 4 'is a'sectional view of the same. Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference onth'edrawings, the numeral 1 denotes the floor oribase beams of the structure, presuming the latter to be a portable unit, these beams being positioned inparallel and suitably spaced alinement. I

Projecting upwardly from the beams 1 are spaced uprights 2 supporting a combination bin and hopper 3, which tapers outwardly from bottom totop on all sides.

Secured to the beams 1 between the uprights 2 are posts 'capped by a beam 4, which aids in supporting the hopper or bin. The posts 4 support rigid horizontal arms 5, extending on both sides of the postsand parallel to thebeams 1, making with said posts a T shaped structure, the height of the arms from the base being about'the same as that of anaverage table, and there being as many such posts and arms" as it is' desired to have tables. F ii I 1 Extending parallel to-the arms 5 and in horizontal alinement therewith and spaced therefrom a desired distance are other and similar arms 6, supported by braces 7 or otherwise, between each corresponding pair of such arms there being-rollers or pulleys 8 journaled therein, these rollers being positioned adjacent each other at the center of length of the-arms and connected to turn in opposite directions by gears9. I One of each of said pulleys has a common-drive shaft 10 extending therebetween, which is adapted to be rotated at alcertai n' and p'rei'erably low speed by a belt-andmotor drive or-otherwise as indicated at-11, or each set of pulleys maybe turned bya common motor by means of straight and crossed belts,'without the I use of the gears 9. i I

At the outer-ends of and be'tween'pairs of the arms 5 and 6 are idler pulleys 12,

while endless belts '13 of canvas orsimilar material passes over each pair of pulleys 8 and 12, there being "a flat board or floor 14 under the top run of the belt, while the arms 5 and 6 project thereabove to form a guard rail.

Tension rollers 15 are mounted on arms 16 under the belts and normally bear there- :intoo-great a volume, and yet will not jam against by reason of springs '17,"these.rollers being arranged to be withdrawn from contact with the belts by means of pedals 1 8 operatively connected to the arms.

By suitable manipulation of any pedal therefore, the tension roller may be'sla'ckened so. as to reduce the frictional contact of the beltwith its drive roller,'and so. re:

duce thespeed of the belt oreliminate its movement entirely. Also it permits both hands ofthe worker being used onthe belt,

the speed being controlled entirely by the foot. I

This construction enables a Worker sit alongside each run of belt 14' on the side thereof opposite th'e main supporting post t, With plentyof room to sit thereat andal- "low the legs to project thereundeinf 1 The belts-are connected to'be driven so that their upper surfaces move in opposite directions and outwardly, so that the-picked produce may drop into boxes 19 placed untin or other materiahwhich is arranged to beadjustedso that the length of the fingers,

and hence'the flexibility thereof, may be ad:

justed. v The finger member andthe plate 23 are adapted for vertical movement as a .unit, so that they may be'raisedclear of the opening 21 to allow the products to have an unobstructed flow onto thebelt. This may be done by means of a stud 23 fixed to the chute and projecting through slots 25 in the members 22 and 23, the stud having a clamping nut 26 on the. outer end thereof and the-plate 23 having a finger-hook 27 thereon.

' An-independent closure plate 28 is provided for each chute, so as to be able to entirelycut the flow from the bin to each chutejat will. These plates are so positioned so that no pockets are-formed, so that when any chute isshut off, all the products in the bin may bewithdrawn from the others, I

By reason of the angling of the chutes,

and the use of the flexible fingers, the products will be held from passingonto the belt and clog the chute. I From the foregoing description it will'be readilyseen that I have produced such a device as. substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein. r

' While this specification sets forth in de tail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in'practice .such deviations from; such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and useful and desire to se cure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination With a. driven belt, ,a

chute positioned thereabove and terminating thereat, an opening provided in-the front ,end' of the chute and extending upwardly a certain distance from the lower edge, flexible fingers covering said opening, and means. for altering the operative length of fingers.

2. In combination with a driven belt, a

chute. positioned thereabove and terminat-' ing thereat, an opening provided in the front end of the chute and extending upwardly a certain distance from the lower edge, flexible fingerscovering said opening, means for altering'the operative length .of said fingers, and independent means for raising the fingers clear of the chute-opening, I

Without disturbing the finger length adjustment. 1

3. In combination with a driven belt, a chute positioned thereabove andterminating thereat, an opening provided in the front end of the chute and extending upwardly a certain distance fromthe lower edge, flexible fingers forming a unit member covering said opening, a rigid plate'secured in front of and to the finger member and adjustable vertically thereon, and means for adjusting.

the plate and finger member as a unit relative to the chute-opening.

4:. In combination with. a driven belt, a chute positioned thereabove and terminating thereat, an opening provided in the front end of the chute and extending upwardly a certain distance from the lower edge, flexiblefingers covering said opening, a rigid plate secured on the finger member and adjustable verticallyv thereon, a "stud fixed on: the chute and projecting. through alined and vertical slots in the plate and finger member, and a clamping nut on the outer end'of said'stud. p

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

AROHIBALD RJsTEPrrEN. 

